Train Yourself To Deal With Criticism

Deal with criticism effectively and you will be a more productive and emotionally satisfied lawyer. Easier than it sounds? Perhaps, especially as many lawyers have skin thinner than a wafer-thin mint.

“Anyone who’s ever been on the receiving end of negative feedback can attest that it sucks. Aside from the emotional discomfort of being told your work isn’t good enough, the physical responses of a racing heart, tense muscles, and increasing blood pressure aren’t exactly pleasant. As we shift into fight-or-flight mode, it’s tempting to 1) heatedly defend ourselves–“It wasn’t my fault!”, 2) mentally check out of a conversation–“What does he know anyway?”, or 3) become frozen in a self-defeating loop of negative thoughts–“I’ll never be good enough.” But, when it comes to work, the further I progress in my career, the more I’m convinced that pushing past those initial reactions and responding positively to negative feedback is a secret superpower.”